Review Detail

BEHOLDER is a haunting and creepy YA horror that begins with a bang. Athan is at a party where everyone dies - and he is saved by a mysterious boy who shoves him into a bathroom. Athan lives in fear of becoming like his yiayia, who spends her days staring into a mirror and praying. She has descended into madness due to the special abilities wielded by his family, which Athan also has but is determined to not allow himself to give into. This power allows him to peer into any mirror and see its recent past, but knowing the potential cost of using it, Athan has avoided mirrors and any reflective surfaces as much as possible.

Following the party, Athan begins to realize that something dark and powerful is after him. The mysterious boy may be the key to figuring out what is going on, but it seems to know too much and Athan is suspicious. However, not having anywhere else to turn, they work together to unravel these dark mysteries and the powers behind them.

What I loved: This was a dark and creepy read that pulled me in from the start. It was deliciously horrifying in that way that makes you want to turn on all the lights (and not look into any mirrors). The story is told from Athan's perspective, and he knows relatively little about the evil forces around his life - just that they exist since his parents' deaths and his yiayia's mental decline. He has been left to try to forge his own way, but this is challenging as he fears his own abilities and does not know who to trust.

The horror elements were really strong, particularly in the first part of the book where the deadly party comes to life in vivid and horrifying detail. There are several other scenes throughout that definitely bring this back with a paranormal feel behind it all. Athan's power seemed simple but ended up being quite fascinating and important as he navigates through this unsteady world, though he is loathe to trust it or use it as he fears his yiayia's fate.

Themes around trust, family, betrayal and insidious relationships, mirrors and what they reflect, and mental illness swirled in the background of this dark and eerie read. The ending of this one was quite wild, memorable, and fantastical, much in the vein of THE HONEYS, and it will definitely appeal to anyone who enjoyed that book as well.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, the story felt a bit repetitive in the middle as the story stalls a bit before it gets into the reveals and more information. The story also switches styles between chapters, and this slowed it down for me as I felt my mind had to frequently shift gears to digest both styles separately/together.

Final verdict: Haunting and chilling, BEHOLDER is a fascinating YA horror that will have readers eagerly turning pages - and turning on the lights.